The Odds And Ends Of Friendship
by Joshpro8423
Summary: The penguins' fishing trip in Australian waters goes wrong when a storm breaks out and leaves a member of the team MIA. As the rest of the team search desperately to find the missing team member, a gifted Australian who saved him tries to help him regain his memory. Will he ever remember? Will the team ever find him? Read on to find out!
1. Introduction

_**The Odds and Ends of Friendship:**_

**Some Info:**  
Alright mates! This story has been in my mind for so long that I just have to write it! We are starting from afresh with new characters but same full names, so it has no connection whatsoever to the Life With The Penguins Series, so any references to it are just on purpose and/or coincidental. So, please enjoy!

**Summary:**  
The penguins' fishing trip in Australian waters goes wrong when a storm breaks out and leaves a member of the team MIA. As the rest of the team search desperately to find the missing team member, a gifted Australian who saved him tries to help him regain his memory. Will he ever remember? Will the team ever find him? Read on to find out!

**Disclaimer:**  
I do not own The Penguins of Madagascar. It belongs to Tom McGrath, Eric Daniels, Dreamworks Animation and Nickelodeon. I only own my own OCs.

_A/N: Yay! A new story! Like I said, this has no connection with the Life With The Penguins Series, just reusing their full names and making some references to it. This is a whole new story so please, ENJOY!_

**Introduction:**  
_Fishing Trip Gone Wrong_

The penguin habitat of Central Park Zoo seemed too quiet. It was just twenty minutes before opening time on Saturday, 3 August 2016, but instead of training on the little island of their habitat, they were all in their HQ down below. What they were doing was preparing for a fishing trip that they had planned a week in advance.

"The boat is up and ready to sail Skipper..." said Alfred James Kowalski, aka Kowalski. They had decided that they would be fishing in Australian waters for two reasons. One, so that they wouldn't end up in Hoboken like last time, and two is so that Kowalski could collect some coral samples for an invention he was working on.

"Excellent work Kowalski. Let's hope that this time, Kowalski's weather forecast isn't as wrong as last time..." said Henry Skipper Jackson, aka Skipper.

Skipper was the leader of a penguin commando team in New York. He had three other team members. There was Kowalski, his Lieutenant and Second-In-Command. Rico Dela Santos, aka Rico, who was the Staff Sergeant and Weapons Expert. And then there was Private Riley Goodwin, aka Private, the Private (1st Class) and the youngest of the team. Together, they help keep peace in the place they live in.

"I can't believe we are finally going to Australia!" cheered Private as he helped carry the boat to their garage, hidden secretly behind a wall. "Yes, but we're only fishing near the Australian border, then we go to the Great Barrier Reef to collect my samples..." Kowalski corrected as they put the boat down on a platform attached to their little pink coup.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" enquired Skipper. The three nodded and piled into the coup. They opened the garage door, which was one of the zoo's walls, to find a certain Asian Otter standing outside. "Hey guys!" It was Marlene Summers, aka Marlene. She was an unofficial member of the team as well as their friend, or allie as Skipper calls them.

"Marlene, what are you doing here? This is classified penguin business..." explained Skipper. Skipper had secret crush on Marlene ever since he met her. But he hid it as she was a mammal; he was against making friends with mammals, and it could possibly ruin his reputation as a good leader. "Uh huh...So, where are you guys going?" she asked.

"We're going on a fishing trip in Australia!" Private happily blurted out. This was followed by a slap to the back of his head. "Oww..." he said. "Really! Can I come!?" Marlene asked excitedly. "Negatory. The boat can only fit four penguins, and it is a classified mission..." Skipper simply answered. "That's what you said last time...Oh well, when will you guys be back?"

"Before you know it. Now, if you may..." Skipper gestured to her to move aside, so she did so. "And Marlene, do you think you can help us with Kowalski's hologram projector? Just...try to keep Ringtail away from it and Alice should be off our backs till we get back..." She nodded. They then started the coup and went on their way. "See you guys soon!" said Marlene as they disappeared behind the zoo walls.

"We are nearing the Australian border..." Kowalski said. "Ok boys, let's start casting the lines..." Rico regurgitated a fishing rod for each of his subordinates and they casted their lines. A few hours later, they had collected a decent amount of fish. Surprisingly, Private was the one who caught most of what they have.

"Um, Kowalski? Are those rain clouds?" asked Private as he pointed at some dark clouds. "Impossible. I calculated the weather patterns very accurately and I assure you, it is sunny skies for the whole day in New...York...Oops..." Kowalski said, turning around as he finished. "Heh heh, I forgot we were gonna fish in Australian waters..." Then, it started raining heavily.

"Rico! Cut the main sails!" Rico did as told and everyone hung on for dear life as the waves started to pick up into hills. "When this is over Kowalski, I'm so gonna..." Skipper was cut off when he heard Private yell for him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Private fall into the giant waves. "PRIVATE!" he screamed.

"SKIPPAH!" Private yelled as the wave took him under. That was when another, bigger wave crashed on top of their boat, causing the main sail to rupture and fall apart. The very same wave pulled the boat away from Private as he tries desperately to keep his head above the water. The cries from both Private and the rest of his team were drowned by the piercing pitter patter of the needle-like rain.

"SKIPPAH...(Gurgle)...(Gasp)...COME BACK!" Private yelled as the monstrous waves pulled them further away from each other. Then, another giant, claw-like wave crashed on top of Private, forcing him down where he hit his head on the corals. He passed out as the air bubbled out from his lungs.

_A/N: Oh no! Private's gone MIA! Will he be alive? Will he be ok? These questions will soon be answered in the coming chapters. R&R to support that Private's alright._


	2. Chapter 1

_A/N: Alright mates! We are back with the second chapter of The Odds And Ends Of Friendship. This is kinds based on Private's friendship with Hunter being impossible, but with a huge twist._

_Oh, and this chapter is just my new OC's POV, third person mode. This all occurred at the same time as the introduction, for those who can't get it._

**Chapter 1:**  
_Meet Austin Sinnamoi_

Austin Sinnamoi woke up to the sound of his alarm clock going off. It was the morning of Saturday, 3 August 2016, and today was the day he was gonna learn how to surf. He immediately jumped out of bed and turned off his alarm, excited as ever. He was a 15 year old teen, about 5 foot 6, with short blonde hair. He had ocean blue eyes and a medium-ranged voice with a decent sounding Australian accent.

He quickly ran down the stairs to eat some breakfast, almost running into his dad. "Whoa, slow down mate! You might hurt yourself..." said his dad as he whooshed past him on the way to the dining table. "Sorry! I just can't wait! I've always wanted to learn how to surf!" Austin proclaimed. "Well, you've got to have a good breakfast then, eh?" his mom said.

After he gobbled down his breakfast, he quickly ran up to change into the surfer's outfit he got when his dad said he was ready to be taught how to surf. He grabbed his dad's sapphire blue surfboard with a painting of a Great White Shark on it and ran back down to find his dad ready to go as well. "You ready mate?" he asked. Austin nodded. "Ready!"

The two put their surfboards in Austin's dad's pickup truck and Austin got in while his dad got into the driver's seat. They then made their way to Mission beach where Austin's dad will be teaching him how to surf. When they arrived, Austin got out and let the warm sun touch his face. He took a deep breath and let it out calmingly. "This is gonna be great..." he said.

"Come on then. Grab your board and let's start surfing!" Austin happily took his surfboard and followed his dad to the water. "Alright, so to get the waves there, you got to paddle your board like this..." His dad showed him how and he followed. "Wow, this is easier than I thought!" he said. Soon, after reaching a wave about to break, his dad told him to stand on it.

"Whoa! Alright, forget what I said earlier!" He tried to balance and nearly fell in the water when the wave got to him. About two hours later, he was surfing like a pro. "Yeah! This is the best thing I've ever done!" he yelled as he rode a wave just about as tall as himself. What he doesn't know is that him learning to surf is gonna be useful.

Austin made his way back to land and laid down in the sand, exhausted from the lessons. His dad mirrored his actions beside him. "Now, wasn't that awesome or what? You're a natural mate..." his dad accommodated. "Thanks..." he said. His dad looked up to the clouds and spotted a few dark clouds in the distance. A smile crept up his dad's face.

"You know what's even more awesome, mate? Surfing in a storm..." Austin glanced over to his dad, who was still staring at the sky. He did the same and spotted the rain clouds as well. "Why is that?" he asked. "Because mate, the waves are bigger, and bigger waves mean awesome surfs..." His dad glanced over to him. "And I'm letting you surf that all by yourself..."

Austin instantly lit up. "Really!?" His dad nodded and he jumped up to his feet, then grabbing his board. "Thanks mate!" he said. "I'll wait for you at the truck! I'm just gonna go get all this sand off first and change up!" his dad yelled after him as Austin disappeared into the distance.

He had been surfing the big waves for a few minutes already, enjoying the adrenaline rush he gets from doing so. He even managed to 'shoot the tube' a few times as the waves he rode were pretty massive in size. He was at the top of the world. But as he was approaching another huge wave, he saw something of different colour from the dark blue ocean waves.

"What is that?" he asked himself as he swam towards it. The storm was starting to clear but the waves were still big in size. He was too busy wondering what that was when the wave crashed on him, pushing him back towards calmer waters. He got back up on his board and looked around for the mysterious object. The waves were getting smaller so it was easier to see the surface of the water.

He scanned the waters for that black mass and his eyes landed on a red patch of water a few feet to his right. "Crikey! That's blood over there!" He quickly swam with his board over to the red patch and saw the same black figure on the seabed a few feet down. He dived down to the depths, the blood making it hard to see, and grabbed the object.

He swam back up and gasped for air. He put the object on his board and was shocked to see what it was. It was a penguin, its head bleeding from a gash. He quickly swam back to shore, pushing the board with the penguin on it. There wasn't much people at the beach, so there was no use calling for help. "Oh, don't die on me mate! Hold on!" he said

When he got to shore, he dragged his board up to the sandy beach. He placed the penguin face down on the sand and massaged its back. He had learned on TV how to get water out of someone's lungs. A few moments later, it started coughing out a lot of water. Austin quickly grabbed a small face towel from where he had set up a mat and held it to its bleeding head. He turned it over to see it open its eyes a tad. "It's alright mate. You're safe now..."

_A/N: Austin to the rescue! But who is this mysterious penguin? I think you all know, but he doesn't. R&R to be an awesome person or if you can guess where Sinnamoi is reference to! (Hint: A zombie game)_


	3. Chapter 2

_A/N: This chapter is up! Here, we will find out the Aussie's gift, which is a very useful one. Also, the twist in the story here is just a killer. Also, you just gotta love the brotherly love shown here._

**Chapter 2:**  
_The Gift of Understanding_

The penguin closed its eyes again, tired and weak, not dying. Austin knew this as he took first aid classes before, it was just a bit harder when it came to animals. At this time, his dad came back, all ready to get home. "So mate, how was...Crikey! Is that a..." Austin nodded, knowing what his dad was going to say. "I found it while I was surfing. It was bleeding badly from a gash and it nearly drowned..." he said.

"Then we better get that little guy to Jinny, eh mate? And fast..." Austin nodded and lifted the penguin up, still holding the face towel to its head, and got into his dad's truck. Jinny was Austin's mom. Her full name's Jinny Sinnamoi, obviously, and she was a retired veterinarian. Anyway, the penguin was losing a lot of blood, and it could barely keep its eyes open.

"Oi, Jin! We need your help!" Austin's dad yelled as he parked the truck just outside the garage. Jin rushed out the front door, still in a white, flowery apron. "What is it Ryder?" she asked in a concerned voice. She let out a gasp when she saw Austin exit the truck with a small, red, black and white figure in hand. "Crikey, come on in, quick! Maggie, can you get my first aid kit please!" she said.

Jin cleared the dining table and placed a table cloth on it. Austin placed the bleeding out penguin on the table just as his older sister, Maggie, ran in carrying a first aid box. "Here's the first aid...Is that a penguin?!" she asked as she looked upon the bloodstained bird. "No time to explain. Now where's the iodine?" She got on to treating the penguin before it loses anymore blood.

An hour later, the penguin was now in Austin's room, laying on make-shift bed made from large basket with its handle removed and some extra blankets. Its head was bandaged all the way around, making sure it didn't cover its eyes. "He should be alright in the morning. Just needs to rest and recover his lost blood..." Jin said. "He? How do you know its a boy?" Austin asked curiously. "Trade secret..."

"Now, you get some sleep and we'll see what we can do to get this penguin back to his home..." Ryder assured. "Alright. But don't tell anyone else yet, please?" Austin's parents nodded and left him and the penguin alone to sleep off the night.

"PRIVATE! PRIVATE, CAN YOU HEAR ME! PRIVATE!" Skipper yelled in the direction that they lost Private. "Skipper, I don't think he can hear you..." Kowalski said, looking out in the same direction. "Nonsense! I am not leaving another penguin behind, especially not Private!" Skipper protested. "PRIIIIIIIVVVVAAAAAAATE!" he tried again.

Kowalski then put his flipper on his leader's shoulder. "We should get some rest. Tomorrow we'll help you fix the sails, and we'll find him. I promise..." he comforted. Skipper sighed, and pushed his way to the captain's quarters, where he slammed the door shut. "Is he...ok?" asked Rico in his usual grunted voice. "I'm sure he is Rico. It's just hard to lose someone close to you, especially if he's like a brother to you..."

"Private...brother?" Rico grunted. "He's like our brother Rico. We're all like brothers. We're not just a team...we're a family..." Kowalski explained. Skipper overheard the whole conversation, and was touched by Kowalski's claim. He never really realised that they were more than just a team, that they were family, and he didn't know that until they lost Private. He was like the brother Skipper never had.

The next morning, Austin woke up to not the sound of his alarm clock ringing, but to the sound of the penguin having what seemed like a bad dream. He got up to check, and when he got to him, he shook him gently to wake him up. The penguin turned over, slowly fluttering his eyes open. "Urgh...W-Where...am I?" the penguin mumbled. "My house..." Austin replied.

Immediately, the penguin's eyes shot open. "Aaahhh!" He jumped off to the floor and ran under the bed. "Wait! Come back! I'm not gonna hurt you!" Austin got down to the floor and pulled the covers away, revealing the penguin cowering in the middle of the bed, under it of course. "Come on mate. I didn't save you for nothing..." he said. The penguin looked at Austin with his ocean blue eyes.

"Hey, you have the same eye colour as me. See?" Austin said as he pointed to his eyes. "S-Save me? W-What does he m-mean for...save me?" the penguin asked himself, knowing humans can't understand animals. "You nearly drowned, and you got a nasty gash on your head there..." Austin replied, much to the penguin's surprise. "Aah! How did you know what I asked!?"

"I've got this special ability that I inherited from my mom. It is the ability to understand animals..." Austin replied simply. The penguin calmed down a bit, curious to know more. "So, you...know what I'm saying?" Austin nodded. "Oh, the name's Austin by the way. Austin Sinnamoi. What's yours?" The penguin store blankly for a few seconds.

"I...can't remember..." He held his head in pain, only to realise the bandage around his head. "What did you say happened to me?" he asked. "You gashed your head and you nearly drowned..." Austin thought for a moment. "And I think your suffering amnesia..." he added. "Amnesia? Is it curable?" the penguin asked. "Yes, but it takes time. You need to hear or see something that will trigger a memory, like...a trigger word or trigger item..."

Austin paused for a second, then continued. "The only question is...what are those trigger words and items?" The penguin shrugged, unsure of them himself. _"Austin! Can you come down for breakfast please!"_ Jin called to him. "Oh, my mom's calling. Come on, let's get you something to eat. We have some fish in our freezer..." Austin said. The penguin crawled out from under the bed and followed Austin downstairs.

_A/N: The idea for the amnesia is from watching so many movies of that, and from my friends getting Amnesia: The Dark Decent stuck in my head. Anyway, R&R to support Skipper's team in their search!_


	4. Chapter 3

_A/N: Alright, this is the forth chapter I posted in a row! I managed to finish all four of these chapters in a week, like a sir! So, please read on!_

**Chapter 3:**  
_Trigger Words_

Skipper woke up to the warm sunshine on his face. He sat up, remembering that he had left his men outside. He went over to the door, unlocked it and peeked outside. They weren't there. He got out completely and looked around, and to his relief, he found them sleeping on top of the captain's quarters. Kowalski was holding on to his clipboard while Rico had a roll of duct tape in his flippers. They had repaired the mast while Skipper was asleep.

He grabbed a bucket from the deck and scooped up some water from the sea. He then poured it all over the two sleeping birds. "Gah! The storm's back! Rico! Cut the...Oh, it was just you Skipper..." Kowalski laughed nervously as Rico re-swallowed the chainsaw he just regurgitated. "Sorry for the rude awakening boys, but I see that you fixed the mast while I was asleep..."

"Yeah, uh...we thought that the search can begin sooner if we fixed the mast earlier than later in the morning..." Kowalski gave out a yawn, signalling he's been up most of the night. Rico mirrored his action and rubbed his eyes. "Come on you knuckleheads. We better get something to eat before we start this search..." Skipper ordered and passed them some of the fish they had caught.

Back at Austin's house, the two had just made it downstairs. Austin had carried down the penguin, afraid he might trip and fall. "Mom! Where did you keep the fish!" asked Austin. _"In the freezer box, inside the freezer..."_ Jin answered. Austin opened the freezer and found the freezer box. He took it out and looked inside. "Ok, we've got some bass, tuna and herring. Which one do you want?" he asked.

"Well, I guess I'll have some tuna..." Austin took out four decent-sized tunas and washed off the frost. He put them into a bowl and gave it to the penguin, who was sitting on the table. "Thanks..." the penguin replied. Austin sat beside him, on the chair of course, and ate the breakfast his mom made him.

Then, Maggie walked in. "Ooh! He's so cute! And cuddly!" she squealed loudly. "Thank...you..." The penguin put a flipper to his head. He just got a major headache, but at the same time, he could see what seemed like...a flashback. It was...weird.

_Memory/Flashback POV:_  
_I was in some sort of...habitat. There were three other penguins around me. They all seemed vaguely familiar, but I couldn't remember if I knew them. We were surrounded by a lot of people, some carrying cameras and taking pictures. We were just standing there and waving at them. I could feel how scared I was, and that was when the penguin beside me whispered to us._

_"Operation: Cute and Cuddly...commence!" With that, the three of them sprang into action, dancing or whatever. I was just standing there, frozen in fear. "Come on Private, I didn't train you to just stand there. Do something!" the same penguin ordered. I knew I needed to do something, and I felt myself do a front flip into the water, the crowd cheering me on..._

_Normal POV (Third Person POV):_  
The penguin was groaning in pain, holding his head with his flippers. "Aah! What did I do wrong!?" Maggie asked with a panicked voice. "Nothing's wrong with him. He just heard a trigger word and now he's recalling a memory..." Jin said as she entered the room. "What?" asked Maggie, who was now confused. The penguin had now stopped groaning in pain but was now breathing heavily. "You alright mate? What happened?" asked Austin.

"I don't know...but...I think I remember...my name..." the penguin said between breaths. "What did he say?" asked Maggie. "He said that he thinks he remembers his name..." Austin looked back at the penguin. "So? What do you think it is?" he asked. "I think it's...Private..." the penguin said. "Private...Riley Goodwin..." the penguin, Private, added. "Anymore?" asked Jin.

"I...I have a rank. It's uh...Private...1st Class. And...I live with...three...three other penguins...all older than me. They all look familiar...but I can't remember who they are. That's all..." Private replied. "Ok, now what did he say?" Austin repeated what Private said to his sister. "Oh, ok. Nice to meet you Riley..." she said as she shook his flipper. "Well uh...nice to meet you too..."

"He said nice to meet you too..." Austin repeated. "Why do you repeat what I say?" Private asked. "Oh, she doesn't understand a blooming word your saying. Only mom and I understand animals..." Private nodded in understanding. He then took one of the tuna Austin got for him and he swallowed it whole. "Well, thank you for the fish..." he said.

"No problem mate. Oh, we're also gonna help you get your memory back so we can find out where you come from. Then we'll get you home..." Austin replied. Private smiled and finished off the other three fish. "Follow me Private. Let's see if we can find anymore trigger words or objects that may help you get home..." Austin said. Private hopped into his hands and they went up to Austin's room.

Meanwhile, Skipper, Kowalski and Rico are having to luck finding Private. They were worried on what may have happened to him. "Look Skipper, over there!" Kowalski pointed at a few black feathers a few feet away from their boat. Rico jumped in and swam to get them. "Here Skipper..." Rico grunted as he climbed back on.

"Kowalski, analysis..." Kowalski took the feathers from Skipper and examined it. "Skipper, there's...blood on these..." Kowalski showed the red substance to Skipper, and he shook his head. "No. Private can't be dead! We need to keep searching!" The three jumped in surprise when they heard a splash behind them.

"Private, is that you!? Show yourself!" Then, a grey figure poked its head out the water. "I thought I heard familiar voices..." the figure said. "D-D-D-Doris? W-W-What are you d-doing here?" Kowalski stuttered nervously. "Oh you know, exploring, just visiting place to place, the usual. I heard you guys were looking for Private. Need any help?" Kowalski looked at Skipper with a goofy face that said 'PLEASE!'

"Uhhh...Ok. If you insist..." Kowalski threw his flippers in the air, shouting 'YES!', then putting them down and laughing nervously, embarrassed. "I mean...we appreciate it..." he said. Doris giggled. "Oh Kowalski, your still as funny as I met you. You haven't changed a bit..." she commented, causing Kowalski to laugh goofily. "Anyway, where should we look first?" she asked. "Along the nearby shores and...maybe underwater if we still can't find him..." Skipper said.

_A/N: I know, I know. I added Doris in. So what? That is not the crazy part yet, the search and recue team will get bigger in the later chapters. So, R&R to support your favourite characters!_


	5. Chapter 4

_A/N: We are back baby with another chapter of The Odds And Ends Of Friendship! I will take it slow here, just to get a lot of chapters rolling, so if my pace is too slow, you are welcomed to tell me in the reviews or PM. ENJOY!_

**Chapter 4:**  
_Memories, Worries and Friends_

Austin and Private were bored to death trying to find trigger words or objects that may help lead Private back home. Only a few words help him remember just as little. Antarctica reminded him of his best friend Hunter, a female leopard seal. Crazy but true. Snow only reminded him of snowcones and that was basically it.

"Hmm...I think we need to use words that we won't expect..." Austin suggested after 3 hours of trying to find trigger words and objects. "Yes, I agree..." Then Austin got another word in mind, remembering Private's accent. "Wait, I know. How about 'Britain'?" he asked. Private closed his eyes and tried to see if he could remember anything. Then, something came into view.

_Memory/Flashback POV:  
I entered a dark room. I was wondering where everyone was. Then, the lights burst to life, blinding me momentarily. "SURPRISE!" greeted some voices. My eyes adjusted to the flash of light to see two penguins standing next to a cake and wearing purple party hats. "Happy Birthday son!" said one of the penguins' with a heavy British accent._

_"Wow! Thank you mom, thank you dad!" I heard myself say. I noticed that I sounded younger than I was now, which led to this being an old memory. I felt myself run to them and hug them, which sent a warm feeling down to my heart. Then, I remembered who they were. They...were my real parents. And it was my birthday._

_Normal POV (Third Person POV):_  
Private breathed heavily as he supported himself with his flippers when he almost fell forward from that wonderful memory. "What did you see?" asked a curious Austin. Private glanced at him with a grin on his beak. "I...I saw my parents...on my...9th birthday..." he answered. "Do you remember their names or your birthdate?"

"Yes, my mom is...Barbara Goodwin and my dad...Harold Goodwin. My birthdate...is on VII...VI...MCMXCVIII..." Private added. "Alright, I have no idea what you just said at the end..." Austin said. "It means 7th of June 1998 in Roman numerals..." Private explained. Austin gave a sign of understanding and nodded. "How about where you lived? Your home?"

Private thought for a moment. The question was so simple, yet so hard. The answer was on the tip of his beak, but he almost couldn't remember. "The...um...Cambridge Zoo...in London..." he replied. Then, he got another headache, signalling another memory being recalled by his mind. This one, however, was more vivid, and it almost made him cry buckets.

_Memory/Flashback POV:  
"MOM! DAD! HELP ME!" I heard myself yell. I could feel my heart pumping like a rock and roll concert; it felt painful and it felt like it was gonna pop out of my chest. "PRIVATE! Let go of us!" my mom yelled. They were being held back by the massive hands of two zookeepers. I, on the other hand, was being stuffed into a crate._

_I felt myself grip the side of the box tightly, the wooded splinters poking into my flippers. It felt excruciating, but it couldn't let go. Then, I slipped and I was plunged into the darkness of the crate. The top was put on, and I couldn't see a thing. The only light was from a small hole on the side of the crate. I peeped through, only to see my parents getting further and further away as I was carried away in the crate. "MOM! DAD!" I yelled, but I knew I couldn't do anything about it._

_Normal POV (Third Person POV):_  
"MOM! DAD!" Private yelled with his eyes closed. He was crying profusely; it almost looked like he was having a nightmare. "Private! Private! It's alright!" Austin tried comforting. Private's eyes shot open, and he hugged him, still crying up a storm. "It's alright Private. I'm here..." Austin continued, patting his back gently as his shirt got soaked in penguin tears.

"Oh, it-it was h-horrible. I...I w-was separated from m-my parents and...I...I couldn't do anything...I'm so scared..." Private whimpered. Austin shushed him as he continued crying. Eventually, Private wiped his last tear away. "Thank you...I needed that..." he said. "I think we should take a break from this trigger word hunt and go get some lunch, alright mate?" Private nodded. "That would be splendid..."

Meanwhile, the rest of the team had searched coast to coast for anymore signs of Private, but to no avail. Doris had been checking underwater for any sign of him, but nothing came up. "See anything yet Kowalski?" asked a worried Skipper. This was definitely not his day. "Negative. Still no sign of Private..." Kowalski replied as he scanned the coast with their binoculars.

Doris came swimming up to them. "Sorry guys. I can't find him either..." Rico looked sadly at them. "No more Private?" he asked in a shrill, grunted voice. "Come on Private. Please be somewhere..." Skipper worried out loud. _"No worries Skipper. I think I can help you find Priv..."_ a girl's voice said out of nowhere. They turned around to smiling leopard seal resting her head on the ship's deck.

"Hunter? What are you doing here?!" they asked. "Uh, who's the seal?" Kowalski then explained to Doris that Hunter was Private's best friend ever since he got her back home from New York to Antarctica, which was 8523 miles apart. "Oh, I was nearby. Dad and I were out fishing and I kinda heard a familiar scream, whom I guessed was Private..." she explained. "What happened anyway?" she then asked.

"Well, you see, he is currently MIA when a storm broke out yesterday and we currently trying to...find him..." Skipper explained. "Ok, what does MIA mean?" she asked. "Missing in action. Do you think you can help us find him?" She nodded. "Sure, I can help. I do owe him for getting me home..." she said.

"Huh...I wonder where Skipper and the rest are. They're supposed to be back yesterday..." Marlene wondered out loud to herself. She had this weird feeling that something was not right, just like when they were trapped in Hoboken the last time. "Hmm...I hope they get back soon. They're really starting to get me worried..." she said to herself.

_A/N: See?! I told the S&R (Search & Rescue) group will be getting bigger! Oh, I decided to added a third person of Marlene for them Skilene fans (about how worried she gets when Skipper is not back) and it will be a little clue in what might happen in later chapters. R&R to support either Hunter, Dorwalski, Skilene, Private's past or if you have nothing better to do!_


	6. Chapter 5

_A/N: We are back again with another chapter of The Odds And Ends Of Friendship! Well, I know I have updated any stories for quite a while and the reasons are: I have writer's block and I am currently trying to write an original story with my friend for a writer's competition so the chapter updates may be a bit on the slow side. Please understand that I will try my best to post at least one a week, if I can. So, enough of that and please enjoy!_

**Chapter 5:**  
_Time For Plan B_

"Hey, Private?" asked Austin. The little bandaged penguin looked up from eating the fish that was given to him. "Yes Austin?" he answered, his voice having a touch of sadness in his tone. "Are you...alright? Just now, you were screaming for your mom and dad..." he answered in his most concern voice that he could conjure up. Private looked away, hoping not to remember that awful memory.

"I'm...sorry that you were taken away from your parents. I can see that isn't easy to talk about it..." Private didn't answer, but instead he gave a small nod. He was so shaken up by the whole experience. But, the question he had stuck in his head after that memory was...where did they take him to? There must be a reason why he was put in that crate, and it bugged him to find out why.

He opened his beak to say something, but he found the words glued in his throat. Could he tell him? He knew that Austin was trying to help him, but can he help him in this? He closed his beak again; he couldn't do it. Austin then patted his back gently, as tears were falling from his saddened eyes. Private looked back at Austin, and gave a small smile to tell him he's ok.

"You're a really good friend Austin. Thank you..." he said. Austin smiled back at him. "It's alright mate. That's what friends are for, to be there for you..." Austin replied with a smile. But, something about that sentence sounded familiar to him, like he heard it before somewhere. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind to see if he could remember where he had heard that from. Then, something came through.

Memory/Flashback POV:  
I could feel the sadness in me. Looking around, I was walking around some sort of zoo. The name was a mystery to me, but it looked familiar. Then, I felt tears rolling down my face as I wandered around. "Why don't they like me?" I heard myself whisper quietly to the surrounding air. Then, a voice asked me, "Are you alright?"

I turned to the direction of where the voice came from to see a brown and white otter looking at me from between the bars of a fence, which seemed to circle around a rock-like structure. Again, she looked oddly familiar, but I couldn't remember who she was. Her face was so full of concern and her voice sounded worried. I wiped away the tears on my face and replied, "Swell..."

"You don't look ok. Come on in..." the otter said, signaling me to follow her. Her voice somehow reminded me of how my mom used to talk to me; her sweet, comforting voice always helped me feel better. I felt myself turn and follow her in, squeezing my way through the spaces in the metal fence. We both jumped into the pool that was between us and the land opposite.

We swam to the other side and went up on top of the concrete island that held the rock...no...cave-like structure. It was a beautiful sight when there was grass surrounding the structure, complete with a few flowers and some small trees. "It's beautiful..." I heard myself say. The otter smiled back. "Thanks. It's uh...Riley, right?" she asked with a tone a bit more mellow then the previous tone.

I nodded. "You can call me Private..." I said. The otter looked back at me with slight confusion. "Private? Why Private?" she asked. "It's my first name..." I simply answered. She nodded in understanding as we sat on the soft, natural grass. The feeling was great and the air smelt wonderful and fresh. She extended a paw to me in greeting.

"Nice to meet you Private. I'm Marlene..." she greeted. I took the greeting and shook her paw with my flipper. After the handshake, we gazed at the setting sun for a few silent moments. "So, why were you upset just now?" she asked, breaking the silence. I tensed up, feeling like I wanted to tell her, but almost couldn't. Instead, she continued asking, "Was it because they didn't like you?"

I was shocked. Did she read my mind? I nodded almost unnoticeably. "Well, it's ok. I like you. I think your pretty cool, with that accent and all..." she replied with the same, mellow tone she used. It was soothing, and those words made me feel better. "Don't worry about them. I'm sure you'll all get along. They just need to get to know you a bit, that's all..."

I looked back at her. Her hazel eyes were filled with understanding of my situation. I felt myself give small smile. "Thanks Marlene..." I replied. She smiled back, knowing she had helped someone. "That's what friends are for, to be there for you..." she said. I smiled back as we watched the sun set peacefully.

Normal POV (Third Person POV):  
Austin watched as Private closed his eyes and stand there for a few minutes, doing nothing but smile and tear. After about two minutes, he opened them again, and looked at Austin. "You helped me remember a friend, from the zoo I think I lived at..." he said. Austin smiled back at the small penguin.

"Who was it?" he asked Private. "It was an otter named Marlene. I think that was when I first arrived at the zoo..." Austin gave him a face. "What?" he asked. "I think someone's got a crush on someone..." Austin teased. "No! It's not like that! She's just...my best friend...I hope..." Private shivered from the thought of it. Did he like her? He wasn't sure.

"I'm just messing with you mate! Anyway, what kinda otter is she?" Private thought for a while from that question. "An Asian Small-Clawed Otter if I'm not wrong..." he replied. "That gives me an idea...Come on mate! I think I can help you find out the zoo your in!" he said before grabbing Private with both his hands and rushing straight to the room. "Slow down Austin!"

Back at the boat, the team was getting desperate. They have been at it for just about a full day now and still no sign of him, but Skipper will not declare him KIA unless he finds a body. "Skipper, we searched these shores already..." Kowalski reminded. "Who knows, he could be..." Then, a flipper shot up and held his beak shut. "I am not giving up on Private like I gave up on Manfredi and Johnson; not for the third time! We'll find him!" he yelled.

He let go and Kowalski gasped for breath. "Well...you didn't...have to...smother me..." he said breathlessly. Skipper looked back at his lieutenant and helped him up. "I'm sorry Kowalski. It's just..." Kowalski interrupted him. "It's ok. I understand..." he assured. "What I wanted to say was...what if he's on land? Maybe he's wandering the island of Australia as we speak..."

"Good point Kowalski. But who can follow us on land? I mean...what if he's still out at sea? He could also be on some forgotten hunk of rock that nobody's knows of for all I care! Someone needs to be on the ship, and I'm not letting you two go alone without me..." Skipper's words froze right there. Silence then filled the boat as Rico peered over the side, Doris slept in a life-raft they had and Hunter on the deck doing just the same.

Then, like someone answered their question, something hit the boat, stubbling the animals that were on it. "What in name of tuna sandwiches was that!" Skipper exclaimed. "Skipper! Look!" Rico grunted as he pointed somewhere over on his side. They team peeped over to find a metal ship under the water. "Our sub?" Then, the hatch popped open to reveal a brown figure. "MARLENE!?"

_A/N: SEE! The S&R crew is getting bigger and bigger! Let's hope she's the last one. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed cause I can tell you this is my favourite chapter in this story so far! R&R to know more on Private's past and how he got to Central Park Zoo! Oh, thanks to the reviewers as well!_


	7. Chapter 6

_A/N: Welcome back to another chapter of this awesome story! Well, the S&R team is pretty big now, six animals altogether, so let's see what happens. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 6:**  
_Too Close For Comfort_

Marlene smiled awkwardly at the sight of her baffled friends. "Uh...what's up guys?" she greeted them, feeling a bit weird that they were staring at her.

"Marlene?" Skipper repeated. "How in the world did you get here?" he asked the hazel-eyed otter.

Marlene gestured to the submarine she emerged from. "It's pretty obvious how, isn't it?" she replied simply. She turned to face where a splash was heard to see a dolphin. "Hello..." she greeted.

The dolphin nodded. "Pleasure. Are you Marlene?" she asked curiously. Marlene simply nodded, wondering how she found her name. "Well, I'm Doris Young. I don't know if Kowalski ever mentioned..."

"The whole zoo knows about the Kowalski and Doris thing..." Marlene interjected. Doris glanced at Kowalski, who was smiling back nervously. "Nice to finally meet you..." Marlene held out a paw and Doris took it with her flipper.

Skipper was about to speak up again, when Hunter poked her head to see what the ruckus was about. "Oh, hello there..." she greeted the small brown otter. Marlene shifted her gaze to the leopard seal.

"Hi there..." she greeted yet again. "I'm Marlene Summers. I don't really use my full name, but hey, what the heck..." Hunter extended her fin for a handshake. Marlene took it and smiled.

"Hunter. Just Hunter..." she replied. "And I'm Private's best friend..." she quickly added. Marlene nodded in approval.

"Ok, are we done with greeting each other?" asked Skipper. He sounded pretty annoyed and was crossing his flippers and tapping his foot impatiently. Marlene nodded back and he sighed. "Good. Ok, now that we got an extra crew member, we can proceed on with the land and sea operations..."

"Marlene, Rico and I will search the shores and human settlements for any clues. Kowalski, Doris and Hunter, keep up the sea search. I am not declaring Private dead unless there is a body to prove it..." Skipper grimaced at the last sentence, leaving Marlene confused.

"Wait, Private's missing?" she asked in a worried tone. "What happened?" she continued. Rico simply replied, "Storm..."

Marlene's eyes grew big and she gestured Rico and Skipper down to the sub. "We'll explain it to you on the way..." said Skipper as he climbed into the sub. Marlene followed after Rico, but stopped halfway to look at Kowalski.

"You sure you'll be alright with them?" asked Marlene. She always cared for her friends whenever trouble hits. Kowalski just nodded, smiling. Marlene returned it and closed the hatch. "Where to now?"

Skipper looked up from his seat on the Captain's chair. He was already wearing his captain's hat, and Rico was wearing his sailor's hat too. "We're going to Australia..." he simply answered.

Austin had carried Private all the way back up to his room and was now busy typing on the computer. He was trying to use the clues given to him by Private to try and locate the zoo he lived in. First, he tried looking for the transfer documents for a young penguin being transferred from the Cambridge Zoo. Nothing. Who would put transfer documents on the web anyway?

"Well, I guess we can try looking for this otter Marlene..." Austin suggested. Private nodded as Austin began to type the intended subject. "Hey, I think I found one. It's a newspaper article on an Asian Otter winning an internet popularity contest three times in a row, till a scandal banned her from it..." he inferred.

Private took a closer look at the otter in the photo. "That's her!" he said. When took an even closer look, something seemed different. "But...she looks younger than what I remembered. Where does she live at?" he asked.

"An aquarium in California..." Austin replied.

Private shook his head. "Can't be. I was in a zoo, with wide open spaces and everything. I didn't see her living in an aquarium; she lived in a habitat..." Private countered.

"Well then mate, I guess she got transferred too..." offered Austin. "What else do you remember about the zoo?" he asked, trying to fork out more clues.

"I remember it being surrounded by tall buildings. Really tall buildings..." he replied. Austin thought for a moment to think of places with tall buildings around a zoo.

"Sorry mate, I got nothing..." Private let out an audible sigh. "Well, we can always try again tomorrow, eh mate?" Austin suggested. Private nodded in approval and went over to his makeshift bed. "Night Private..." said Austin as he got in his bed.

"Good night Austin..." he replied, a bit surprised that he used his real name rather than just calling him 'mate'. He felt like he just earned a brother. Through all that happened, he stood close by, even though they had just met a day ago. But wait, brother. Something was coming into view as he drifted off to sleep. Something...memorable.

"So, you all lost him when he went overboard during a storm? This sounds a bit familiar, don't it? Except that it was the whole boat with all of you on it crashing in Hoboken..." Marlene said. Skipper was done telling her what had happened and they were still on their way to the nearest shore when Private went overboard.

"Yeah...you can say that. Hold on, I have one thing to ask you..." replied Skipper. "Can you explain how you got here, why you came here and why you not feral?" he continued. Marlene had this condition since her first time out of the zoo. She felt so free that she went wild but couldn't remember a thing.

"Oh, that. Well...uh...I'm not sure how to explain that to you, but I can tell you why I'm not feral..." Marlene answered, still driving the sub for them. Skipper was making sure that the controls and the ship was in good order and Rico was...well...hypnotized by the sonar machine, as always. Skipper gave a sign for her to proceed with the explanation.

"Well, you guys said I went feral when I felt free, right?" Skipper nodded in response. "So, all I have to do is not feel so free. I do that by pretending that I'm still at the zoo, confined by the walls that keeps me from turning feral, and well, it works..." she finished.

"Impressive. Now, can you answer why you came here?" Marlene stiffened up, nervous to reply. She took a few moments to try to come up with a reason to come after them.

"I uh...was worried. You guys didn't come back last night, so I thought you all were in trouble..." she replied, praying that he would believe her reason. She didn't want to turn around, afraid of showing her nervous face or seeing his signature paranoia glare.

"Ok..." he finally answered. She sighed inaudibly in relief. "What's the _real_ reason you came?" he continued. Her heart sank. He was onto her. What should she tell him now? She felt so nervous that all the words were stuck in her throat.

"That's...the real reason...Skipper..." she offered, hoping if she played dumb, he would believe her. Then, she saw her escape plan. "Hey guys! We're here!" she quickly blurted out to prevent a reply from Skipper.

"Alright team. Let's head on out..." he replied. That was close! "Operation: Locate Private is a go!" he continued.

_A/N: Hope you all enjoyed! I have nothing else to say but…R&R to hope that their paths meet!_


	8. Chapter 7

_A/N: The chapter some of you have been waiting for this chapter for a while, so here it is! The chapter that reveals the heartfelt memory that Private remembers when he thought of the word 'brother'! Hope you enjoy this and thanks to all reviewers! _

**Chapter 7:**  
_Family Is Forever_

"I think I better get back now. It's getting late and I don't want them getting mad at me for coming late..." I said to Marlene. We had sat in the same spot for at least 30 minutes just getting to know each other. I felt at peace being with a friend like her, very understanding and kind. We had a lot in common, which was mostly what we talked about.

Marlene smiled back and got up. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then..." she answered. "It was really nice to get to know you. Good night..." After that, she walked backed into her cave-home while I exited the otter habitat, feeling somewhat rejuvenated from the conversation.

I crossed the path between the otter habitat to get to the penguin habitat. There was nobody there, but I knew better where the rest were. When I first arrived, the three existing penguin occupants didn't introduced themselves but merely asked me 101 questions on if I was a spy or not. Then, I just snapped and went on a long walk, alone.

I crossed the pool of the habitat and knocked on the fishbowl which served as a door. My old habitat back in London had just the same; a fishbowl leading to our home. I also saw them enter through the fishbowl entrance as I walked away from them for some alone time.

A few moments later, the slight pitter patter of feet on cold metal could be heard from below. The fishbowl door slid open, revealing a flat-headed penguin. He glared at me with his ocean blue eyes and slightly annoyed scowl. "May I come in?" The penguin just raised a non-existent eyebrow. Nervous, I added, "Sir..."

"Sure..." The penguin then climbed back down the metal ladder and I soon followed after. I closed the fishbowl door and made it down. When I turned around, the angry and mad faces I expected turned out to be faces of guilt. The same penguin from before then stepped forward.

"Look, I'm not really the apologetic type, but I have to tell you that...I'm sorry for how I treated you before..." he said. I couldn't believe it. Was he really apologizing? I listened attentively as he continued, "It's just...sometimes my paranoia can get in the way and...well...we got off on the wrong foot. I'm sorry..."

After him came a taller penguin from behind, also looking as guilty as the previous penguin. "I'm sorry as well. I was merely following orders and I did not know that I was hurting your feelings. I am truly sorry..." he said full of guilt.

The last penguin, a mohawked one with a scar going down the left side of his beak, grunted, "Me sorry too..." It was obvious he does speak well but he was still understandable. When I looked into his aqua blue eyes, it said sorry almost a thousand times.

Still a bit surprised of what just happened, I decided to apologize too. "I'm sorry as well. I shouldn't have just run off like that. It's just...I was just taken away from my parents and I was in a bad mood. Badgering me with those questions just made it worse..." I confessed.

The three looked at each other, shock engraving their faces. "We...we didn't know that..." said the first penguin in a regret-filled voice. I just waved it off.

"It's ok. I didn't expect you to know anyways..." I replied truthfully. The three others then approached me slowly before entangling me in a group hug. A huge burden lifted itself off my shoulders as I returned the hugged, tears streaming down my face. "T-Thank you for understanding..." I managed to choke out through the tears.

When they detached, the penguins finally introduced themselves, but not before wiping away the tears that managed to leak through. "In that case, the name's Skipper..." said the flat-headed one that was just slightly taller than me. He shook my flipper and I accepted it.

"Kowalski..." continued the taller penguin, giving me a flippershake.

"Rico..." croaked out the mohawked penguin with a smile. I gave him a flippershake as well and he shook it wildly.

"And I'm Private. Private Riley Goodwin..." I replied with tears of joy. Then, the memory faded, but more memories of different times appeared. The times we had together on missions; Snowcone runs, fish raids, fixing the messes of Kowalski's inventions. Everything came back to me. Everything.

Normal POV (Third Person POV):  
Private shot up from his makeshift bed, feeling almost impossible to breathe. He took a few deep breaths to get some oxygen back in his system. "I remember..." he whispered to himself. Austin shifted in his sleep and woke up when he heard his feathery friend whisper.

"What?" asked Austin restlessly. He looked over and saw Private sitting up in his makeshift bed. Private turned around to face his human friend and repeated much loudly.

"I remember Austin. Everything..." Austin quickly got up and turned on the table lamp beside him.

"Really! What do you remember?" he asked, hoping this new info Private found out was gonna help him get Private home. But, something inside him tells him that Private should stay; he'll miss having his company when he gets home.

"I do live in a zoo! I live in the penguin habitat, with three other penguins! They are Skipper, Kowalski and Rico! Skipper is my superior, Kowalski is the team's scientist and strategist and Rico is the weapons expert! And...they're the second family I never knew I had..." Private replied excitedly, trailing off on the last sentence.

He never saw it that way before. He had always thought they were just a team out to protect their home and the world from bad guys, but it was much more. He may have lost his real family a long time ago, but he gained a new one. Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, even Marlene. They were the family he always wished for, but never knew until he lost it all.

Austin noticed the sadness in Private's eyes after relaying the information just given to him. He wanted to ask what was bothering him, but he wasn't sure if he should disturb him. Finding just enough courage, he decided to ask another question. "How about the name of the zoo?" he asked.

Private was roped back into reality upon hearing that question. "Central Park Zoo, in New York City..." he replied simply. Austin then thanked him and left him to thoughts. Turning the laptop back on, Austin typed in the said zoo and found a match.

"Hey mate, I found it..." he started. "It's definitely where you come from. See?" Austin gestured to an online copy of the zoo brochure, which had a picture of Private on the cover. The words on the cover of the brochure says 'Central Park Zoo'.

"That's it! That's where I come from!" Private supported excitedly. It has only been two days, counting the time he was knocked out and now he is halfway on to getting home. He'll get to see everyone that he had remembered from that single chain of memories.

"I'll tell my parents this in the morning and see if we can arrange some way for you to get there..." offered Austin. "The only question is, why did you wash up on Australian shores when you come from a zoo in New York?" questioned Austin.

"That, I still don't remember..." replied Private. "What I do remember is that before I got washed up here was that the team and I were going somewhere outside the zoo, but I can't remember where..." Private continued. The last memory in the chain was actually the day he got washed onto Australian shores, but he didn't see everything as he had to wake up due to not breathing whenever he remembers something like that.

Austin just nodded. "I just hope you'll get home safely when you do..." he said. He then gave him a hug. "You've been a great friend, for a penguin..." he added. They then broke away and Austin went over to the light switch. "Well, you better sleep in to get some energy for tomorrow mate. Good night again Private..." Then, he switched the light off and got into bed.

_A/N: Did you like it? The next chapter will be the S&R's team for most of the way since this is all on Private and Austin. But don't worry, there are still more memories to fit the whole puzzle together and an even greater twist! I hope…R&R to support everything POM! And for feedback!_


	9. Chapter 8

_A/N: Hello! We are back again with another chapter of The Odds And Ends Of Friendship! I really like how this story is going, the random moments here and there. I also try to add in hints of Private's past through the flashback that happen now and then. Now, with that said, thanks to all the reviewers and enjoy!_

**Chapter 8:**  
_Differently Similar_

Upon exiting the sub, which they concealed in the corals of the Great Barrier Reef, the three made their way to the shore of Mission Beach. The night was still young, but it felt like it would last forever as they swam towards the sandy beach. It was actually a beautiful sight to behold; an artist would surely go to any odds to get a painting of this.

Being the usual, paranoid Skipper, he couldn't stop wondering the many reasons why Marlene followed after them. Is there trouble at the zoo that she had to evacuate? If it was, does it involve Blowhole, Hans or any other one of their enemies? Did the space squids invade New York? Or was it from some other, non-militant-related issue? The next thought he had kinda scared him.

Did she have such strong feelings for him that she would risk her life and safety to find out if he's ok?

_"No. She's a mammal. I'm just a bird. She doesn't have any feelings for me, even if I do..."_ Skipper whispered in his head, trying to shake away that thought. _"I'm not good enough for her..."_ he continued, almost shattering his own heart and causing him to tear up. Luckily, they were still in the water, so he quickly let one out and held the rest in before setting foot on land.

"Skipper? Are you ok?" asked a familiar and almost angelic voice. "You've been in a daze since we left the sub..." There it goes again. Out of reflex, he gave a quick nod. He always loved hearing that voice, but now, it felt like a knife to the heart side-by-side of the thought of not being good enough. It hurt more than anything he ever felt in his life.

"Yeah, I'm alright Marlene..." he lied as he returned to reality. In fact, he was the complete opposite; he felt heart-broken by his own words. "Just worried about Private is all..." he answered as straight as he could without choking on the words. As innocent and naive as she is, she accepted the reason full and strong. He liked that about her; they are complete opposites in personality and species yet are so alike.

Then, a call pulled the two out from their conversation. "Skipper! Look!" yelled Rico as he pointed at a small patch of reddened sand the gleamed in the darkness. Rico regurgitated a flashlight and shone it at that very spot to get a better view.

The two edged towards the patch and Marlene rubbed some of the stained sand between her fingers. "This feels like it was stained just recently. Maybe...yesterday?" she offered, give it a whiff with her nose. "It still smells of blood, so it couldn't have been here a while..." she added.

Skipper looked at her, impressed with her sudden know-how. "How do you know that?" he asked, curious to find out. Right now, the only person who knows how to do these things was Kowalski, and he obviously wasn't there.

"I've watched too much crime movies..." she replied simply. Yet again, Marlene has baffled her feathery friends with her knowledge. Rico then gave it a whiff for himself and gasped.

"What is it Rico?" Marlene and Skipper asked in unison. A frown quickly engulfed the weapon specialist's face, spreading fear and anxiety into his teammates.

"This Private's..." he said in his usual grunts. Rico had many unusual gifts, one very obvious one is his ability to swallow and regurgitate anything, even if it is bigger than himself. But, there is another ability he had which not many know about as it is not used as often. He has a really acute sense of smell, very similar to a dog's sense of smell.

"Are you sure Rico?" asked a now worried Skipper. Rico nodded back, and instantly Skipper and Marlene start coming up with what may have happened to him that isn't lethal or life-threatening.

_"Private's blood!? Does that mean he got injured?"_ Skipper questioned in his mind. _"Maybe he got cut or something during the storm. Come on Skipper, I'm sure he's..."_

_"Just fine..."_ Marlene mentally completed for Skipper without realizing it. _"Private is a strong penguin. He's knows how to take care of himself..."_

_"No matter what is thrown at him..."_ Skipper finished her thought mentally without realization. _"He's one of my best soldiers, and abandoning hope right now because of a little blood is not an option. I promise..."_

_"We'll find you Private..."_ the two whispered in unison, loud enough for the two to realize that they said the exact same thing at the exact same time. They blushed slightly before Skipper turned his attention to Rico.

"Uh, do you think...you can find a scent anywhere?" asked Skipper, trying to forget the unison whispering for a moment. Rico gave another whiff of the air around him and he found something.

He started towards the roadside and found another, smaller patch of blood and a few tire tracks. "Good job Rico! Now we know that he is still possibly alright..." said Skipper. He them studied the tire tracks carefully. "These are the tire tracks of a pick-up truck. I think if we follow these, it would lead us to where Private may be..."

With that, the three went on to follow the tracks in hopes of finding out where Private may be. But, what they don't know is that they are closer than they ever thought.

_"She's as pretty as she is asleep as she is awake..."_ Kowalski whispered to himself as he watched his dolphin ex-girlfriend snooze in the life raft. He had just started watching Doris sleep 15 minutes ago since Hunter fell asleep on the deck.

He lay back down on the deck and watched the stars above him. He connected the many twinkling dots and tried to form his own constellation, but to no avail. Then, a gleaming white streak across the sky caught his attention. A shooting star.

He put his flippers together and made a wish, even though he doesn't believe in wishing, he guessed it was worth a shot. _"I wish that everything will turn out alright in the end..."_ he wished with all his heart. He actually felt a bit better after doing so, like a sudden peace went over him. He whispered goodnight to the two before falling into a peaceful slumber.

_A/N: How was that for some heart-warming moments! Well, it's getting more obvious by the second as the team ventures on. Oh, who can guess what is the only bond that allows for two people to complete each others sentences without realizing it? R&R if you know or if you want to give feedback! Or both!_


	10. Chapter 9

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but here we are! Chapter 9 of The Odds And Ends Of Friendship! I have nothing else to say, so ENJOY!_

**Chapter 9:**

_So Close, Yet So Far_

The next morning, the two had told Ryder that Private came from Central Park Zoo in New York, so he agreed to send him there himself. Private was elated to finally be able to go back home, but something keeps bugging him, telling him that he forgot something. He just shook it off as they prepared to leave for the airport.

"Come on Dad! Can't I come along?" asked Austin. His dad told him that he would be sending Private to the Central Park Zoo personally, but he also said that he couldn't follow.

Ryder shook his head. "Sorry mate, I've only got enough for one; bringing you along means I have to buy another one, and I don't really have time and money to do that," he explained. "But, you can still say your goodbyes right now."

Austin nodded understandingly and went over to where Private was at; in the shotgun seat of the car. "Hey there mate," he started, grabbing Private's attention.

"Hi Austin," Private replied with a smile. "Can you believe it? I'm finally going back home!" Private added. His elated smile soon turned around when he noticed Austin looked a bit upset. "Austin? Are you ok? You look a bit...sad," he asked.

Austin nodded and faked a small smile. "Top of the world. I'm just...you know...gonna miss ya and all..." Private then climbed over to him and gave him a great big penguin hug. Austin's smile soon became real as he returned it, lifting the little penguin up a few inches.

"I'm gonna miss you too Austin. You're a great friend and you've done more than I could ever ask for," he said. "I promise I will try to visit you at least once a month as best as I can. I promise..."

"I'm gonna miss you too mate..." Austin replied wholeheartedly. "I want to follow you on your way back home, but my dad said I couldn't. I will try to visit you guys when I could. Just tell your friends I said hi, alright Private?"

Private nodded in response as Ryder entered the driver's seat. "You ready mate?" he asked Private. Private nodded again as he buckled his seatbelt. "Wow, you are one smart penguin," commented Ryder, impressed with Private's knowledge of human devices.

With that, Ryder started the car and away they went. "Bye!" Austin waved as the pickup truck disappeared into the distance. Jin then ushered Austin into the house and he complied. He went straight to his room and picked up a feather that he had from when Private was being bandaged up. He already washed the blood off, so it was pretty much blood-free.

He reached under his bed and pulled out a worn-out scrapbook made of, well, scrap paper. It was slightly greenish-brown, mostly brown, and it was binded together with string. The cover of the scrapbook was covered in paper mache and had the words _Austin's Best Memories_.

He took a piece of tape from his desk and turned the pages of his scrapbook till he found an empty page. He attached the feather onto the page with the tape and used a fine-tip black marker to write _"My Best Animal Friend in the Whole World, Private Riley Goodwin"._

Then, a noise made him turn to find three figures standing outside his window.

A few minutes ago, Skipper, Rico and Marlene barely got hit by a car. "Hey! Watch it buddy!" Skipper yelled after they rolled to into a nearby bush, safe from other cars and trucks that passed. They had been walking for quite a while that morning had already came. Rico managed to pickup the scent again, and they were hot on the trail.

After a bit more of intense hiking, Rico found where the scent came from. It was coming from a quaint white house with a second floor and possibly an attic. There was a red pickup truck that just left with a blonde boy waving and yelling _"Bye!"_ They watched and waited for the boy to enter the house before advancing any further.

"Are you sure he's in there Rico?" asked Skipper. Rico simply nodded and Skipper gave the signal to advance. Stealthily, they made it to some bushes nearby and tried to form an action plan.

_"Skipper," _Marlene started, catching Skipper's attention. She was looking at a half-open window on the second floor. Beside it was a pipe they could use to get there. _"We can get in through there..."_

Skipper nodded in response and they made their way to the pipe. Skipper went up first, followed by Marlene and Rico. When they made it to the windowsill, they peaked inside to find the blonde-haired boy inside. He was holding onto a brown book of some sort and in his right hand laid a single jet black feather.

_"Skipper, is that..." _Marlene's sentence was cut off by Skipper's flipper over her mouth. Apparently, the boy noticed their presence when Marlene started whispering and immediately turned around to meet their surprised glares.

_"Oh, fish sticks,"_ Skipper said. _"We've been compromised..."_

Austin turned to find two penguins and an otter looking at him just outside his window. An all-too-familiar otter. "Hey, you're Marlene," he said as he approached to open the window for them. Faces of confusion filled the three's faces as they got into their defensive positions. The mohawked penguin had a stick in his flipper, holding it threateningly.

"Back off human! You'll regret it!" Skipper commanded, even though he knew humans couldn't understand them. It was merely a habitual reflex to him. The boy backed up a little, showing empty hands to them. What he said next surprised them more than possible.

"Whoa, watch the paranoia mate! Sounds a bit like what a leader would say. I'm guessing you're Skipper, am I right?" Austin said coolly. "And you look like you know what you're doing with that stick. You must be the weapons expert, Rico."

The three exchanged shocked expressions. The human could understand them? Impossible, they all thought. And him knowing their names? Skipper immediately snapped into full paranoia mode.

"SPY! CODE RED!" Skipper snapped. "RICO!" In an instant, Rico regurgitated a length of rope, jumped him and tied him up. Surprisingly, nobody else heard Skipper's earth-shattering yells.

"Hey! What are you blokes doing! Untie me right now!" The three of them jumped down into the room and stood at Austin's feet, glaring at him.

"Not until you tell me how you understand us," ordered Skipper.

"I have a gift I got from my mom. Got a problem? Now, untie me!"

"No. Rico, check that feather and see if it's Private's..." Austin instantly perked up at the mention of Private's name.

"Private? Oh that's why you guys are here!" he said. The three turned back to face him.

"Is he talking about our Private or another?" Marlene thought out loud. Austin simply nodded in response.

"Yes we are. He about this tall, a bit on the chubby side and has a distinct British accent," Austin described. "Oh, and yeah, he also a penguin."

"He's here? Where is he!" Skipper demanded, shaking Austin with his flippers.

"Whoa, calm down! He's alright. My dad is on his way to send him back...to New...York. Oops...I didn't think his friends would come looking for him..."

Skipper looked at him in disbelief. "What! How are we supposed to believe that he wouldn't think we..."

"He got amnesia from hitting his head somewhere and got a gash that was bleeding heavily. I found him half-drowned when I was surfing and I brought him here so my mom could fix him up. She was a vet before just so you know. When he finally woke up, he couldn't remember anything, so I helped him remember enough to find out where he came from, which was Central Park Zoo in New York, am I correct?" Austin explained.

Skipper and Rico looked at him skeptically. "Guys, I think he's telling the truth," Marlene suddenly interjected. The two shifted their gaze and stared quizzically.

She facepawed and pointed at the words on the book he was holding onto before. _"Because_, this says right here,_ 'My Best Animal Friend in the Whole World, Private Riley Goodwin'."_ The two penguins continued staring. "What? Don't tell me you didn't know I could read human..."

"It's called English, lassie."

"Whatever..." Marlene said. "What I mean is: Private trusts him, like a good friend, and friends are always out there for each other," she explained, making the two think twice about Austin.

Could they really trust a human? Especially one who could understand them? The idea was a risky one, due to all the consequences if he was a spy working for one of their enemies. But, if someone like Private trusts this human, even if he did have amnesia, then he is the only lead to finding Private.

But wait, he said Private was on his way to New York. Was that a good thing? No, it's not a good thing! If he did have amnesia, he wouldn't remember that he was supposed to not get Alice suspicious, especially if he is outside the zoo. Plus, this boy's dad will explain that he was in Australia, which would blow our cover!

We need to stop him, fast.

_A/N: If you guys didn't notice, the last few paragraphs are Skipper's POV. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this story so far, because it is soon coming to an end! Another one or two chapters and this is complete! So, as always, R&R if you love this story, or if you have nothing better to do…_


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